Franklin Meredith, Saydonyin Campbell (Shepherd Place manager), Phillip Holmes, Chantae Vinson, Brandy Garlic and Kemal Atkins show the supplies donated by Student Affairs to the homeless shelter in Dover.
Delaware State University’s Division of Student Affairs showed that community service is a part of its Christmas spirit as it reached out to provide much needed supplies to Shepherd Place – a homeless shelter in Dover.
Staff and administrators delivered the supplies – everything from foodstuff to bulk paper products and more – to Shepherd Place on Dec. 20.

Aviation major Travis Jones takes a simulated flight on the newly purchased training device while Capt. Stephen Speed, Aviation Program director, enacts the air traffic controller guiding him his journey.

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Capt. Stephen Speed (left), director of the aviation program, and Travis Jones, junior aviation and professional pilot major, pose with the new flight simulator.
DSU’s Aviation Program has moved into a new training era with its acquisition of a comprehensive Advanced Aviation Training Device (AATD) – commonly known as a flight simulator.
In addition to actually flying one of the four types of planes available among the Aviation Program’s fleet of 10 aircraft, students are now able to get instrument practice on a simulator the most advanced AATD that the program has ever had.
“We previously had two training devices, but they were limited in their simulation capabilities, as they were only able to simulate a Piper Warrior plane and only simulate flights in the New York and New Jersey areas,” said Capt. Stephen Speed, director of the DSU Aviation Program.
He said the new simulator can simulate the Piper Warrior and the other planes in the DSU fleet – Piper Arrow, Piper Tomahawk and the multi-engine Piper Seneca – as well as 30 other types of planes, including a jet aircraft.
“In addition, this device can simulate flights anywhere in the United States, as well as in Canada and Mexico,” Capt. Speed said.
The $28,000 flight simulator was acquired this fall after about three years of financial planning and a Request-for-Proposal process in which several types of flight simulators were evaluated and various vendors sites were visited.
Capt. Speed said that in addition to helping students refine their instrument skills, the new simulator will be another way that students can accumulate flight hours.
Travis Jones, practices a simulated flight on the new training device.
“The simulator will help when the weather is not good for flying,” Capt. Speed said. “The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) allows for the use of 50 hours on the simulator to go toward flying time for a commercial pilots rating.
DSU’s Aviation Program – founded in 1987 – offers Aviation bachelor’s degrees in Professional Pilot and Aviation Management. The new flight simulator along with the fleet of planes are based at the Delaware Air Park near Cheswold, Del., a facility operated by the Delaware River & Bay Authority just a few miles from the DSU main campus.

DSU President Harry L. Williams and his wife Dr. Robin Williams opened the doors of their residence on Dec. 4 to host a Holiday Open House for students, who were invited to come and meet the campus’ First Couple and enjoy some food and fellowship in the home as well as in a Christmas Café at the rear of the house.
For images of the Holiday Open House, click on the below slideshow:

DSU’s Arts Center/Gallery in the William Jason Library is currently featuring the senior capstone exhibition of Erica Rae Lokai entitled “Jellyfish Bluem” until Dec. 14.
The exhibition is free and open to the public.
Ms. Lokai is a senior double major in arts management and studio art. Her 35-piece exhibition features her work in creating framed cyanotypes and mixed media paintings.
The senior art major said her work is particularly inspired by the jellyfish species, with its ability to swirl its tentacles, twisting and turning into beautiful shapes or becoming tangled in an angry mess.
Erica Lokai stands with two of her works that are part of her "Jellyfish Bluem" exhibition currently in the Arts Center/Gallery.
“I have always liked everything under the sea, so one day I painted a jellyfish,” Ms. Lokai said. “I realized how much I enjoyed painting them, so I thought, ‘Keep making jellyfish until you’re tired of making them’.”
She hasn’t tired yet. To date, Ms. Lokai has painted, photographed and sculpted at least 100 jellyfish since the first one she completed.
“When jellyfish congregate together in large numbers, it is called a bloom; so for my senior exhibition I have created my own bloom,” she said. “Jellyfish Bluem is a collection of my most recent works; it highlights my love for cyanotypes (which uses the color blue as a common element), mixed media and jellyfish.”
She added that the exhibition has fused an alternative photographic process with painting and mixed media.
A reception in honor of the artist and her work will be held in from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 in the Arts Center Gallery, which is located inside the front entrance of the William C. Jason Library on campus.

Delaware State University raised money with elegance and class on Dec. 7 as it held its annual President's Scholarship Ball at Dover Downs.
About 400 people attended the sold-out event. “It was powerfully encouraging to see the generous support coming from alumni circles, our elected officials, the corporate and business sector, the community at-large, as well as University members,” said DSU President Harry L. Williams. “And in a demonstration of students helping students, our Student Government Association used its own money to attend the event and provide support for scholarships.”
For images from the event, click on the below photo slideshow:

(L-r) Dr. Susan West and Dr. Stephen Taylor are greeted by DSU President Harry L. Williams and his wife Dr. Robin Williams during the Dec. 12 Holiday Open House.

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DSU President Harry L. Williams and his wife Dr. Robin Williams opened the doors of their residence on Dec. 11-12 to treat faculty and staff to good food and fellowship as the campus’ First Couple hosted their annual Holiday Open House.
For images of the event, click on the below photo slideshow:

Dr. Robin Williams, wife of DSU President Harry L. Williams, hosted a “A Ladies Tea” for a group of women who will be among the graduating class of the University’s first-ever December Commencement on Dec. 15.
Held on Dec. 14 at the president’s residence, the 12 noon tea featured food, fellowship and gifts from the University’s First Lady to the 10 graduating ladies in attendance.
To view images from the tea, click on the below photo slideshow:

The graduating class of the first-ever December Commencement were in a celebratory mode after receiving their degrees.

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DSU President Harry L. Williams presents the Presidential Academic Excellence Award to Megan Reno, who earned a BS in Elementary Education.
As evidence of its ongoing enrollment growth, Delaware State University held its first-ever December Commencement ceremony as approximately 200 students celebrated the completion of their academic studies.
DSU President Harry L. Williams and Provost Alton Thompson were joined by U.S. Sen. Christopher Coons in congratulating the graduates during the indoor ceremony held in the Memorial Hall Gymnasium.
During the Dec. 15 ceremony, Dr. Williams presented the Presidential Academic Excellence Award to Megan Reno, a Summa Cum Laude 4.0 GPA elementary education bachelor’s degree graduate.
Rev. Ellis B. Louden, the pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church of Dover, was the December Commencement keynote speaker. He used the biblical story of Cain and Abel to illustrate the challenges that are ahead.
DSU President Harry L. Williams was joined at the December Commencement by Rev. Ellis Louden, keynote speaker, and U.S. Sen. Chris Coons.
Rev. Louden noted that everyone has a bit of both biblical brothers in them. He pointed out the graduates on Commencement day were akin to Abel, in that they were celebrating success. But out in the profession world, like Cain, there will be some form of rejection.
“When you set out in this world and face social crisis,’ there are times you are going to feel like you are rejected,” Rev. Louden said. “Always know there is hope. You will be able to get yourself up, brush yourself off and be inspired to do all that you can to uplift the quality of life.”
A posthumous degree was also presented in memory of Lionel Barnes of Rehoboth Beach, Del., who died suddenly on Aug. 28. Mr. Barnes attended DSU’s Sussex County site in Georgetown, Del., where he was pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work Degree. Dr. Delores Finger Wright, DSU associate professor of social work, accepted the degree on behalf of the family.
The University’s administrators decided to establish a December Commencement as a result of feedback from students who complete their studies during the summer sessions or fall semester. With record enrollment for three consecutive – including this fall semester’s record 4.425 students – the December Commencement in addition to the tradition May Commencement will help DSU manage the growing number of participants in future graduation ceremonies.

Delaware State University held its first-ever December Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 15 in an indoor ceremony in the Memorial Hall Gymnasium.
For images from the Commencement, click on the below photo slideshow:

Members of the Delaware State News -- one of the premier sponsors of this year's Presidential Scholarship Ball -- stop for a red carpet photo op. (From l-r) Joe and Tonda Parks, Barbara Bryan, Gary and Shelly Cecchett, and Ed and Anne Dulin

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Attendees of Delaware State University Dec. 7 President's Scholarship Ball literally got the red carpet treatment upon their arrival to the event held at Dover Downs. As individuals and couples entered the ball area, they were treated to a paparazzi photo op moment.
For red carpet images, click on the below photo slideshow: